Prime Tyson vs 70s Heavyweights

I agree. Foreman lacked the finesse to beat Tyson. Mike in his prime was very good defensively and I'm sure he'd have no problem ducking and dodging George's slow and choreographed punches. '70s Foreman had zero defense, so he'd definitely get hit by Tyson. If George was rocking and reeling from Lyle's shots, he'd be on ***** street from Tyson's.

 

I agree with that. I think Tyson would be in fear of Foreman, if anything!

 

I wish Tyson did come along in the 70's it would've made for some great fights. I feel Tyson would've beat most of the good fighters from the 70's but I have trouble favoring him over some of the greats.

I think he'd beat Ron Lyle within 5-6 rounds. I think the fight would be very competitive while it lasts and Lyle would connect with some solid shots but around the 5th or 6th Tyson would get to him and Lyle would end up hurt and backed up against the ropes where Tyson would unleash and relentless barrage either knocking out Lyle in the end or focing the ref to stop the bout.

Quarry I don't see giving Tyson much trouble. I don't feel Quarry had the skill or power to keep a prime Tyson off of him and after a couple rounds I think Tyson would take over, Quarry may be able to go the distance with Tyson but would be on the defensive for a lot of the bout as Tyson would dominate.

Bonvena I think would give Tyson and really rough and tough battle much like he did with Frazier. I think Tyson would clearly win the fight but Bonavena would be in there the entire time and would likely give Tyson one of his toughest fights.

I don't see Jimmy Young giving Tyson much trouble. Jimmy Young was able to beat Foreman because of Foreman's lack of technical boxing craft and stamina. A prime Tyson unlike a prime Foreman wouldn't wear himself out in the early rounds against a defensive opponent like Jimmy Young also a prime Tyson was a much more technically sound fighter then a prime Foreman. I think Tyson would be much stronger then Young and may be able to take him out at some point if not I think he'd be happy to win most of the rounds against a defensive Jimmy Young.

Earnie Shavers would have a punchers chance against a prime Tyson and thats about it, if Shavers is unable to KO Tyson look for Tyson to knock him out in the early or mid rounds.

I think Tyson would take Ken Norton out in the early to mid rounds. History shows Norton was vulnerable against power punchers and a lot less skilled power punchers then Tyson. If Norton is able to survive Tyson power the fight could be interesting I still see Tyson winning regardless.

I'm confident Ali would find a way to beat a prime Tyson even the Ali of the 70's. Ali had much more character then Tyson and would use this to his advantage and I don't see him having much trouble frustrating and controlling a prime Tyson winning more rounds or even pulling out a dramatic knock out in the mid to late rounds.

I gotta take Joe Frazier over a prime Tyson as well. Tyson could potentially take Frazier out early but I doubt that would happen and I'd expect Frazier to take over as the fight goes on and break Tyson down.

I'd take a young George Foreman over Tyson as well. I don't think Tyson would be able to withstand the early barrage from Foreman. It is very possibly Tyson may be able to knock Foreman out early as well Tyson was much more technically sound as puncher but it hard for me to invision anyone coming straight to a young George Foreman and not getting knocked out first. If the fight was to go passed the first 5 rounds it would be interesting to see who pulled it out in the later rounds. I think Tyson was better at pacing himself then a young Foreman but I don't know how much he'd have left after going toe to toe with Foreman for a few rounds.

I also gotta take a prime Larry Holmes over Tyson. I think Holmes in his prime would do a much better job of keeping Tyson at a distance and winning more rounds. I also think he'd line Tyson up for some big right hands possibly taking Tyson out and forsure hurting him. It would be a competitive fight and Tyson would probably have Holmes in trouble a few times but Holmes would pull it out in the end either on points or by a late knock out.

 

Like starting in 75 instead of 85? Let's say he smartly waits out Young/Foreman. With Foreman gone, I could see him tearing through Shavers, Norton, Young, Lyle, and Bobick in route to Ali. Tyson is peaking, Ali is slumping and vulnerable. I like Tyson's chances of claiming the HW crown. Perhaps Holmes is his Holyfield in this timeline, quietly rising up the rankings in his shadow. But will Tyson run into a Buster Douglas before the much anticipated late 1980 Holmes/Tyson showdown? Strong possiblity. Perhaps showing up in poor form against a Coetzee, Weaver, Snipes, or Page, and suffering the big upset.

 

Ken Norton - Owing to Ken's susceptiblity to top punchers forcing him backwards,Tyson would win early.

Joe Frazier - It's feasible that Joe would go the same way as Ken. Frazier's best chance would be to somehow hang on until the second half of the fight. He would then have a good chance of outlasting Tyson.

George Foreman - This would be around five/six rounds of mayhem. Both men would inflict plenty of hurt on each other. I envisage George knocking Mike out,though. Once Tyson sees that Foreman ain't going nowhere,he'll get discouraged and more open.

Muhammad Ali - This is becoming the ultimate heavyweight dream match. The best seventies Ali,circa 1972-74 in my opinion,would overcome an increasingly dispirited Tyson and stop him in the later stanzas. The early rounds would be a specatacle ! Two of the fastest big men ever. Even in his early thirties,Muhammad was still amazingly quick with feet and hands.

 

I don't think anyone thinks that the Foreman that fought Lyle was a prime Foreman. Aside from that exhibition in Toronto in '75, George hadn't fought since Ali. He was rusty as hell and even admitted it after the fight.

 

I don't think the Lyle/Foreman fight should be simply written off as "Foreman not prime or rusty" Lyle boxed very well in the first few rounds and hit exceptionally hard, those counter right hands are simply always going to be a problem for Big George. Once Lyle started brawling wildly looking for the finish, Foreman was able to turn the tide as a brawl it played to his strengths.

I don't think any version of Foreman is going to march out there and run over Lyle without getting caught and hurt by some right hands. Also worth nothing Lyle likely had the heaviest right hand Foreman faced in his first career, so in retrospect, Foreman getting knocked around may not be an abnormality attributed to rust so much as him simply getting tagged with the hardest right hand he had faced at that point.

 

he loses to frazier,ali,foreman. Probably beats norton though. Anyone who says different is a tyson fanboy who is blinded by there love for him


I said it before and ill say it again. tyson was an exciting fighter with a mediocre career.

i posted this before but here it is again


Heres tysons career in a nutshell

he beat some bums
won the title from a bum
beat some bums
beat a 40 year old larry holmes coming off 2 losses and a 2 year layoff
beat a lhw named michael spinks
lost to douglas
beat some bums
went to prison
came out
beat some bums
lost to evander twice
beat some bums
lost to lennox
beat a bum
lost to two bums
retired

Does that make you great? tyson fanboys think hes great. Nobody with half a brain would even consider putting him in the top 10 hw list all time.

the guy was very exciting and fun to watch………but thats about it

 

<--------Half brained fan boy who has him in his top 10.

 

at least you will admit it most wont

 

First of all everyone is half brained. You're either left brained or your right brained.. Its a known fact. Secondly, anyone who at least HAS half a brain acknowledges that Tyson was a unified champion, the youngest to ever claim heavyweight title status, and easily walked through an entire weight class to prove that claim, regardless of weather or not one THINKS that his opposition sucked or not.... Get a life....

 

I can agree with this. However, with these huge names roaming the decade I think Tyson wouldn't lose concentration in training and take every single one of these fights seriously. He wouldn't be complacent as his management would try to make these fights, with a warm up of less talent, ie. Lyle, Shavers, Quarry, in between the better marquee "SuperFights". Obviously Foreman during his peak would be an incredible war of attrition, but as always I pick Tyson for his technique, speed, accuracy and countering abilities. Tyson at his absolute best would prevail on top, but only at his absolute best.

 

Guys like Berbick, Smith, Thomas, Tucker, Tubbs, Williams and Ruddock were not bums. Tyson beat these guys either brutally or handily.

 

He'd be favored over everyone. Tyson would have the best chance of winning.

 

Who was the best fighter Tyson beat during his prime? Carl Williams?, maybe Michael Spinks?
I f 42-1 DOG Douglas had him half blind and on the ground looking for his mouthpiecei doubt Tyson would do very with the 70's best fighters...

Foreman KO'S HIM
Ali frustrates him so bad Mike either get's DQ'D or finds a way out, or he gets knocked out late...
Frazier outhustles him to win a decision, Tyson never had stamina...
Norton, beats him with his awkward style, and toughness, Tyson never did well with tall guys who were tough and confident, Tyson was mentally weak..
Quarry is the only guy I can see Mike beating, at only 200 pounds he was small and cut prone.
I think prime Vitali Klitchko, Lewis, and Holyfield all beat prime Tyson..
I don't know why so many people are fanboys of Tyson, he was mentally fragile, and even admitted in his book that half the time he trained on cocaine, booze, and hookers, he had little discipline